The Last Haddock
by LightsRemi
Summary: Tintin recalls one very special childhood memory, and soon figures out his best friend from Africa that he lost contact with, six years ago, is a family member of Captain Haddock. Tintin and the Captain then leave for Congo in search for her. But what's gonna happen when they're there and if they find her? Slight TintinXOC, set in the time of Belgian Congo. Tintin's perspective.
1. Memory

**A/N: Well, what do you know? My first FanFic, ladies and gents. Hope you like it. =D  
**

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**Chapter 1**

It was a beautiful morning in 1941. I woke up, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth, got dressed, said goodbye to Snowy, and then set off for school, like a good little boy. I would catch up with the rest of the group of boys I walked to school with. Then we would normally talk about trading cards, marble challenges, that sort of thing. But that particular day, they were unusually quiet. I asked Lucien, the eldest of us, what was wrong. He replied that nothing was wrong. There was just a new girl coming to school. In the small suburb of Etterbeek, in Brussels, new residents were rather uncommon. It was often hard to try and get along with them, and that just made it awkward. We only found out about the girl the day before the new term started again. Nobody had said anything about anyone new coming to our school, and we wondered why. But when we all saw her, we knew _exactly_ why.

Her name was Rainer. Rainer Haddock. And she was an Afropean girl, the product of a mixed marriage. Her mother was a Congolese and her father was a Scotsman, so I was told. I'm pretty sure the class was thinking 'Wow, there's an African girl in our school!' And I don't blame them. 1941 was the second year into World War II, and the first year into our German occupation. All my Jewish friends and students in the school had disappeared. Africans were also not allowed in Etterbeek, and either lived separately from us or were in concentration camps, as Hitler wanted all Jews and Africans killed. Congo also happened to be a Belgian colony at the time...maybe that's why they accepted Rainer into our school. But anyway, back to the girl.

Rainer Haddock arrived in class last in line. I still clearly remember what happened. It was very lucky for her that our teacher, Mr. Talbot, was neither racist nor anti-Semetic. He once told our class that all people are equal, no matter what they looked like. We strongly believed it, too. Therefore, Rainer Haddock wasn't separate from the class and was forced to sit next to a European boy.

Me.

If I didn't know any better, I would have said she blushed when I smiled at her as Mr. Talbot gently pushed Rainer Haddock towards my desk. I slid further up my desk to make space for her to sit down. So she sat down, took off her bag, and unpacked her stationery.

"Hello," she whispered quietly.

"Hi," I whispered back.

There was a long silence between us. I studied her carefully, and don't take that the wrong way- _everyone _in the class was looking at her. She was very little, and must have been at least a year younger than me. Her little cheeks were ablaze with redness, and her hair was braided and tied back. She turned around and I pretended not to look at her. But I couldn't take my eyes off her. Even for a twelve-year-old like me that time, I would have said she was adorable. Rainer Haddock was so tiny, she could have passed for being an eight-year-old. After a while, everyone was back in their own work, absorbing history notes and practising maths exercises, when suddenly Mr. Talbot's voice boomed:

"Martin Remi! I know your new classmate is pretty, but would you carry on with your work, if you please?"

At that, everyone burst out laughing, while Rainer Haddock just looked at me out of the corner of her eye and smiled, her cheeks still red.

And so began the most memorable year of my schooling.

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**Sorry for the shortness. This was kind of supposed to be a prologue, but then it was decided that this should rather be a chapter because of its length.**

**'^ ^**

**Again, sorry. Oh yeah, R&R only if you want to!**

**LightsRemi**


	2. Reality

**[EDIT]: Hey again!**

**In case you're slightly confused, this chapter sorta snaps Tintin and Co. back into the present again. It will stay in the present for the rest of the story. =)**

**Also forgot to add that I own Rainer Haddock, whoopsies! DX**

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**Chapter 2**

This morning at breakfast, just as the Captain started reading the newspaper, he unexpectedly started groaning. He didn't sound happy. I asked him what was the matter and he said something about the law in South Africa.

"It's stupid," he said. "Racial segregation this, racial segregation that! It's enough to drive a person crazy! Blistering barnacles, if I were one of their government, I'd-"

I tried to calm him down. I read the newspaper after him and soon was in full agreement that South Africa's law was quite...er...yeah...stupid. As I finished reading, I sighed and tried to convince the Captain that their laws would change someday (I knew they wouldn't, because the resistance was weak and the government was strong. However, I didn't want to upset the Captain more). While drinking my coffee, I remembered I had a very close Afropean school friend that originally came from Belgian Congo, our colony. At the beginning of Standard Five, she disappeared. She probably moved back there after the war. I tried to remember her name. Then it struck me. Her name was Rainer Haddock.

Her name was Rainer Haddock.

...

HER NAME WAS RAINER HADDOCK.

I stared at the Captain. Could it be?...Could she be his...?

"What's wrong, laddie? You look shocked."

I stared at him blankly.

_Rainer's father was a Scot, wasn't he? Surely he wouldn't...actually, you know what? I think he would. He doesn't look the sort, though. I really need to find out, though. If it is, this can also explain why he was so angry about South Africa's apartheid laws._

"Er, Captain?" I asked nervously.

"Yes, lad?" the Captain answered with a warm smile.

"Do you have a...a..."

"A...? Come on, spit it out!"

"Captain? Do you have a child?"

This time, it was the Captain's turn to look blank.

"What sort of stupid question is that?" he muttered.

I apologised to him and I told him the story of when Rainer Haddock was in Etterbeek Prepatory School, and how I had met her. It all just fell out of my mouth, like when I tell Katriena about one of my most recent adventures. Katriena, by the way, is a mixed South African-born little girl who lives in a small house with an adopted family just a few blocks away. We have a brother-sisterlike friendship, and she often comes to visit us. Anyway, back to the Captain and I.

"...So I was wondering if she could be...you know...your daughter?..." I said as I finished my long story.

The Captain looked at me and said with a long sigh, "Well Tintin, if you must know..."

I saw his face fall a little. I hoped nothing bad had happened to her or his family. The Captain began to tell the story of his young daughter.

"When you were still a baby, I was on a naval assignment in Congo for a few months. There, I met this stunningly beautiful Congolese woman, and well...you know...she fell pregnant. As soon as I found out three months later, we were married as quickly as you could say 'Hello'. The lady moved back to Belgium with me and then six months later, Rainer was born. Oh, how perfect the wee lass was. I still remember her big grey eyes, her black braids and her wit. Boy, that kid quite a nerve y'know? But unfortunately, my marriage didn't last and when Rainer was 12, her mother and I filed for divorce. It was better that way, but I lost my daughter. Her mother gained sole custody when the judge found that I had an alcohol addiction, and Rainer moved back to Congo with her mother. It's been six years now. She probably doesn't even remember me anymore," the Captain said sadly, as a tear glistened in his eye. He wiped it away quickly.

"Wow." I said. I felt so shocked and yet so...like I knew it this whole time, and I wanted him to tell the story all over again. I was shaken by this sad story and I hung my head.

"So now you know," said the Captain with a sad smile.

I looked up again. "I would've tried to help you see her, if you'd have let me know she was actually still alive."

The Captain didn't reply.

I sighed.

"You thought she was dead?" The Captain looked at me.

"Well, if your classmate disappeared just like that without saying goodbye, and it was still in the war, and her life was in danger, and Hitler wanted her dead, and she was moving back to Congo where there are more soldiers shooting the Africans, and she hasn't been in contact with you for a long time, what would you have said?"

"Okay, lad, you got me." he shrugged.

"Captain, we are going to find your daughter, wherever she is. Because I know that love cannot be bought and a father needs to see his child."

"How would you know that? Did you and Rainer perhaps have a baby, too?"

I stared at the Captain. "What?"

"Don't give me that blank look. When Rainer was still living here, she would go on and on and on and on and on and on about you. Martin this and Martin that. Based on my experience of that crazy little girl, you'd have sworn she had done the same as her mother- fallen pregnant by a European sort with nobody's knowledge."

"Captain, that's gross. Sure, we liked each other, but...you know...I'm not even...oh, gross..."  
He laughed heartily. "I was only joking! Of course a dad needs to see his young'un. So when are we leaving for Congo?"

The night before we had to board the plane, I was quaking with nervousness and excitement. I was nervous for Rainer. I was nervous that she would have changed because of the oppression she would be facing in Africa. Though I really was excited. I was _amped_. I'd be going back to Congo and I'd be seeing her again, after such a long time being separate. Oh, how I had missed her. This Congo trip was gonna be interesting, for sure. I could feel it.


	3. Congo

**Okay, just a little disclaimer here...first of all, I don't own Coco, and the little girl is my one. You'll find out more about her later. =) And second, this chapter is very important. BUT-it contains racism and violence. I don't know how much you readers out there can take, but just to warn you, there is a little of the sad part of Belgian Congo.**

**Thanks again for reading,**

**LightsRemi**

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**Chapter 3**

"You're absolutely sure you want to do this?" I said to the Captain as the plane landed.

"Well, we're already on African soil, so it's way too late to turn back now!" Captain said in reply.

Matadi was beautiful. The name is Kikongo and translates to the word "boat". It is, as the name suggests, a sea village, with the wide bush at the very back of it. The first time I was in Congo on an assignment, I had stayed in a hotel in Matadi. The first thing we saw as we stepped off the plane was a gang of girls walking home from the mission school. On the beach, there were boys playing soccer on the sand. I told the Captain to wait for a bit, and walked over to the beach. I took a closer look at the boys, and I knew I recognized one of them. But he had grown up quite a bit now, so I wasn't so sure (See Tintin in the Congo). I called out his name:

"Coco!"

The boy turned around and looked surprised, and yet so happy to see me. He ran over to me and hugged me, a huge smile on his face.

"Tintin! It is you, my friend!" he exclaimed in Kikongo.

"Yes, it is me!" I replied in his language.  
The conversation was in Kikongo, and the young boy asked if I was here on assignment. I told him I was here with my friend, to look for a girl.

"So...You're in an arranged marriage?" Coco laughed.

I burst out laughing and explained the whole story about Rainer. Coco listened intently and when I was finished, I asked if the name sounded familiar.

Coco paused. Then he gasped. "Wait! I know her! She's my cousin!"

"Your name is Coco Haddock?" I said with a raised eyebrow. "I thought it was Mbakadi."

"My surname is Mbakadi! And so is hers! She even changed her first name, but I am afraid that is confidential. Her parents are divorced, right? Her mother, my aunt, had to change her name when she moved back to Congo, so that the Belgian authorities here would figure that she was never in an interracial marriage, and that her child is not in fact Afropean. It is sort-of illegal here to be in any sort of love-relationship with the Europeans, remember?"

A few hours later at dinner, I repeated this to the Captain. He claimed it was nonsense. I wasn't so sure. The laws there in Belgian Congo were pretty strict. Why, if the Africans didn't obey the law, they'd have their hands cut off, there and then. Surely that was nonsense? Hey, I didn't know. I was supposed to be the ignorant one.  
But get this: The waitress who looked after us for that evening seemed a little bit strange. She kept giving the Captain strange looks, and never made eye-contact with me. If it was Rainer, she probably wouldn't want to introduce herself, for she would know it was us and that we were searching for her. Maybe Coco tipped her off? Or she's fed up with the Captain for divorcing her mother? Or maybe she doesn't want us to find her? I honest to goodness don't know anymore. Rainer Haddock, or Rainer Mbakadi, however witty and funny she was, was always a mysterious girl all the same. And I should have realized that much, much sooner.

Our search continued the next morning. The exact same waitress served us breakfast, but was less strange than she was last night. Or, wait. I think it was the same waitress. I cannot have been mistaken. She most certainly did look the same as the waitress from last night. Perhaps it was just bad lighting inside the restaurant.

"Good morning, gentlemen," she said with a smile as she poured us orange juice. "My name is Cloud. Of course, this is not my real name. Us staff use code names so that our real ones don't get used when people complain about us in food reviews."

The Captain roared with laughter.

"Glad that set you in a good mood, Sir." she nodded at the Captain. She looked at me and gasped. "Eish! You are really a handsome guy, aren't you? What say we go out sometime?"

I gave her one of my best smiles, slightly embarrassed. She blushed in reply.  
The Captain interrupted her moment: "Hang on a second, lass. Do you do this to all your young European male customers?"

"Actually, no." the waitress winked at me. "Can you tell me your name, mon ami?"

"Er...it's Tintin."

The girl paused. A second later, the manager called her name (not her real name, of course). She still managed to maintain her smile. She said that she'll be back with our breakfast. As soon as she was out of earshot, I thought aloud:

"What on earth just happened?"  
Suddenly, I had a stroke of genius. I knew precisely what was going to happen and what I was going to do.

"Tintin, I know that face." the Captain smirked. "What's your plan this time, laddie?"

I replied that I was going to go out with the girl. The Captain looked confused. I asked him:

"Didn't that girl seem familiar to you at all?"

The Captain shook his head.

"What if that waitress was Rainer? Just remember that I grew up with her, too. Her wit was exactly like that, and she was very good at lying and acting. And did you notice her hair?"

The Captain turned sceptical. "Oh yeah? What about her build and her eyes?"

"She's probably 18 by now. Surely she's bound to have changed a bit, Captain? Her eyes are grey, but they're more slanted because she's grown up. Same goes for her build. She's all grown up," I repeated.

The Captain hung his head in defeat. 'Cloud' returned with our breakfast, as she had promised. As we thanked her, she said it was no problem. As she turned around to go and waiter another table, she winked at me. That was the last I had seen of 'Cloud'. Or so I thought.

Just before lunch, the Captain and I took a walk through the little village. What I noticed about the locals was that they looked quiet. Soon, I heard voices coming from the distance.

"Take this, you! And that! You stupid African!..."

Without thinking, I just ran. I found myself in front of a European.

And there was a Congolese in front of him, in a pool of blood.

"Uncle, NO!" I heard a voice cry. Everything that happened next was a blur. I turned and saw that the voice belonged to none other than'Cloud' herself! There was a little girl, aged about five, standing in front of her, with tears in her eyes. "Papa!" she screamed.

'Cloud' looked defeated. Then she looked up and ran towards the farmer. "YOU WILL PAY, YOU COLD-BLOODED SON OF A-"  
She was interrupted as the man struck her with his fist. "Don't you insult me, young lady. You're just an ignorant, racist black." She fell face down on the floor, her nose bleeding, and her arms and knees badly cut and bleeding from the fall. There was no way she would be able to flee now. The European started kicking her around, as if she were a soccer ball.  
I couldn't do anything else. Nobody but nobody should be treated like that. I just saw red. The Captain eventually caught up to me, and when he asked what's wrong, I said nothing and pointed an angry finger at the lifeless African, and then at 'Cloud', who was lying on the gravel road.  
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" I shouted with all my rage fested in me. I gave the farmer a swift right hook, and winded him. I was just about to defeat the man, when he took out a gun...not to fear! I hit it out of his hands and seized the weapon. I pointed it at him.

"You traitor," he snarled. "You're just like these natives."  
Yes, yes, I was just like these natives. I also wanted freedom for them, I also stood up for their rights, I also wanted to get rid of colonial rule, _I also wanted freedom for them_.

"You will leave," I growled. "Now. Otherwise I'll shoot."  
The Captain hoisted the unconsious 'Cloud' up on his back, and carried her towards the mission hospital. The whole thing just felt like a nightmare, but it was all too much to be all in my head. I couldn't believe it-I had witnessed what the really racist Europeans were doing to the Africans. And that was when I thought of South Africa. If something this bad happened here in the most peaceful village in Congo, then it must be about million times worse down there.

In all of the world's most stupid ideas, why did racial segregation and colonization still even _exist_?!

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**You survived Chapter 3!**


	4. Recovery?

**Chapter 4**

I stayed in the mission hospital to watch out for 'Cloud'. She was unconscious for quite a while, but she managed to wake up.

"Welcome back," I whispered.

She looked at me, with a blank expression on her face. "...Aren't you the guy I asked out?..."

I nodded. She asked what had happened, and I explained that she had been hit by the farmer who had killed her uncle. When I was done explaining, she sat up and wondered aloud:

"Where's Emeli?"

I paused. I assumed she was talking about the little girl, who must have been her cousin. Just as I was about to say something, the Captain walked in the room, holding Emeli's hand.

"Raincloud!" she half-shouted, half-whispered, as she ran towards 'Cloud''s bed. "You're still alive!"

'Cloud' laughed, picked her up, and sat her down on her bed. "Of course I'm still alive, silly. You think that your Raincloud would die just like that?"

"Er...yeah?"

The Captain and I spluttered with laughter. 'Cloud' playfully rolled her eyes at us.

"No way. I'm tough." she sighed and her face fell slightly. "Just like my mum was." She nodded at the Captain to say thank you for bringing Emeli. The Captain and I looked at each other. Were we dreaming? Did Emeli just call her 'Raincloud'? Surely that was not her real name? It's a joke variation on the name Rainer. Nevertheless, we didn't want to question the wrong girl on her childhood. There was no time to lose. So I told 'Cloud' about our purpose in Congo. She looked confused, as I got deeper into the story. But I could see in her eyes that she knew something. She had to know something. When the Captain and I were about to leave, she called out:

"Wait!"

We turned around.

"I'm..."

I ran towards her. "Yeah?"

'Cloud' sighed. "I'm in so much pain. Sorry. I must have been thinking out loud."

I just smiled back at her and sent for a nurse.

The next day, while the Captain just decided to spend the day at the village market for the morning, the first thing I did was go to the hospital and visit 'Cloud'. I sat by her for a while, for she was still asleep. The next thing she did, (and I still don't know if it was on purpose, but she did it anyway) was her arm slipped over the side of the bed. I took her hand in mine, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see her mouth curl slightly into a smirk.

"_Bonjour, mon ami_," she said, with her eyes still closed.

"_Bonjour,_" I replied. "_Ca va_?"

She opened her eyes and simply tilted her head to the side.

I immediately saw that her elbows were bandaged. "Ouch," I grimaced.

"I landed on shards of glass from the bottle the European was carrying. It was lucky your friend carried me to the hospital as soon as I was on the ground, otherwise the infection would have gotten much, much worse."

I also noticed that there was a cut on her lower lip, and she had a black eye. That was where the farmer had hit her. How could I not have noticed that?! The man didn't just hit her, he beat her up in public as well! But...how could he?...such a...beautiful young girl...

"Are you...crying...? Mon ami?"

I couldn't help it. I _had_ to cry. All this abuse of Africans and their resources. It was just not right. It made me_ want to_ cry.

"It's okay. It's okay, Tintin. It's okay. Hey, look at me, I'm happy. At least I wasn't shot."

I looked up at her. "That is still no way anybody should be treated. How could he stoop so low..."

"Calm down. These Europeans could get away with murder if they wanted to. Even if you are on our side, there's nothing you can do. Let it go. And these bruises will heal, see?" I looked at her hand and noticed that I actually still hadn't let go. It was terrible seeing her like that, even though I didn't know her. But she was happy, even though she had all those bruises.  
She was brave.

After that visit, I tried not to talk about it. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, seeing these Africans all shook up, torn and beaten. I headed back to the hotel for lunch, where I met up with the Captain. Boy, what a sight! He was wearing traditional men's Congolese clothing, and was carrying crate after crate of whiskey and rum and tobacco and African pipes. He looked in a very good mood.

"Good afternoon, laddie! How was your visit?"

I forced out a "Fine. And yours?"

"I didn't understand a word these people said, but they sure have good bargains." he took out a bottle of whiskey and opened it. I swear, he drained the whole thing in one go! Before we're back in Belgium, he'll have used up the whole supply he bought! It was then that I remembered what 'Cloud' had said:

Look at me, I'm happy.

Everyone around me was happy. But how could they be happy when they're living in hell? From that day onward, I had respect for these people. Genuine respect.

In the late afternoon, I went fishing with Coco. I decided not to ask him anything about his Afropean cousin. To be honest, I had the feeling I was actually over thinking about her.

_Her with the seemingly empty gray eyes, that always seemed to stare in your soul. There was no excuse not to feel sorry for this young African. I was always amazed by how pretty she looked, since that first day of Standard Four. _

And yet it seemed that I _had_ to over think anyway, otherwise the Captain and I would never find her. Then I thought about 'Cloud'. What if_ she_ was Rainer?  
Hey, at this rate, it would take forever to find her. The hold up with 'Cloud', all those red herrings, all those possibilities that seemed so out of reach.

Where was Rainer Haddock?


	5. She

**HI AGAIN!**

**Oh my word, I'm SO sorry for the late update, I had so much schoolwork (and I still do...high school is about difficult as hell...'-_-) and haven't touched my laptop in almost a month. X_X An achievement, yes, considering my bad habit of being a couch potato, but to keep the readers waiting is a completely different story altogether. This is a double update to make up for my debt, so you can also look at Chapter 6. **

**Enjoy. ;)**

**[EDIT]: This chapter goes out to TheDogLover. Thanks for all the positive reviews. :D You've inspired me to keep writing. O=)**

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**Chapter 5**

The first thing I heard when I woke up was that 'Cloud' was discharged from hospital. However, she was still bedridden because of the injuries she had. I frequently visited her, as she lived by herself in a small hut. Coco and Emeli sometimes came along with me, and sometimes even the Captain came.

"I guess that dinner will have to wait a while," sighed 'Cloud', one time. "I'm sorry, Tintin."

I told her it wasn't her fault. And it really wasn't. It was not her fault that she wanted to kill the farmer because he had killed her uncle. She was simply trying to avenge her loved one-but failed. Somebody's son, somebody's brother, somebody's uncle and somebody's father was killed simply because he chose not to listen to a racist law. There wasn't a funeral for him. The government had his body cremated.

'Cloud' and I would talk for hours and hours on end. Soon, we became the closest of friends. Emeli, her and I would often go to the beach once her legs and arms had healed completely and it was safe for her to walk again. We'd maybe even play a soccer game with Coco and the boys. Everything seemed pretty much back to normal...except after a while, it seemed that both 'Cloud' and I became the informal foster parents of Emeli. Both her parents were now dead, and she was such a sweet little soul that it was hard for both of us to hand her over to anybody who was in a position to take care of her. So Emeli now lived with 'Cloud'. But what about 'Cloud''s parents? Were they both killed by Europeans? What made this whole mystery about this girl even more complicated was the whole Rainer Haddock thing. The fact that 'Cloud' could actually be Rainer Haddock made everything go twenty-fold. It just didn't make sense. Until I finally got to go out with her.

About a week later, on a Monday evening, we had our first date. At about 18:45, I waited I waited for 'Cloud' in front of the restaurant. The Captain had already had dinner and was back at the hotel. At 19:00 precisely, a young girl wearing a very colourful African dress, showed up. She walked over and gave a light curtsy. I greeted her, and kissed her on her hand. Even though she seemed fine, there was a guilty expression on her face, almost like she wanted to tell me something huge.  
But what?

The same waitress from the very first day the Captain and I were here looked after us. But strangely enough, 'Cloud' and the waitress looked EXACTLY the same! I don't remember the Captain saying _anything_ about twins. The waitress looked more African then she did, though, so I stopped thinking about it. However, it did kind of bother me a little bit.  
In the middle of my train of thought, the waitress interrupted me:

"Good evening, Sir. my name is Gale. I'm your girlfriend's cousin." she said in broken French.

'Cloud' looked a little embarrassed. "He's not my boyfriend," she snarled in Kikongo.

_All these cousins._

I greeted Gale back. "That's sweet of you to say, but she's not my girlfriend."

Gale just winked at both of us. 'Cloud' rolled her eyes.

"What would you like to drink, Tintin?" She asked.

I just ordered lemonade. I don't drink and I don't smoke. 'Cloud' ordered the same. Well, uh, she doesn't look old enough to drink anyway. It was then that I remembered how tiny Rainer Haddock was.

_Wait. This probably is Rainer Haddock! She had to modify her name when she moved back here. That's what Coco had said. But then again, there's always a red herring somewhere. Still. What if he's telling the truth? When the Captain and I arrived here, we thought it would be easy to spot her in a crowd. We were pretty sure nobody else in Congo had similar features to her. Apparently not._

"Wotcha...ah...are you okay?"

I said I was fine.

"You look quite...concerned. Are you sure you're okay, Tintin?"

I repeated that I was fine. I changed the subject. "So, er...you're 'Cloud'. I know it's nosy of me to ask and everything, but if you could please tell me your real name?"

This time it was 'Cloud''s turn to look concerned. "It's...Storme." This was followed by a polite cough. "Why do you ask? Are you a soldier or something?" She suddenly looked nervous.

I promised her I was not a soldier. As soon as she had calmed down a little, I asked her about her family. Her response:

"Oh...my...my family?...Well. Okay. Um...my mother was killed by soldiers not too long ago. She was caught trying to take back something that was confiscated from her. I'm afraid that not even I know what that something was. And I most certainly hope it had nothing to do with my father."

I gave her a confused look. She chuckled and went on.

"Though I love him very much, I am adamant about my father. My mother and I left him in Belgium when I was twelve. Then we moved here."

"So your father is a European?" I asked without thinking. After I realised what I said, I hastily apologised for being outright and abrupt.

'Cloud' sighed. "It's quite alright. In fact yes, my father is a European. He could be anywhere by now. (A/N: Oh yeah?) I'm a mix-kid. You know, the red thumb in the crowd. There's been Belgian and German soldiers following me everywhere since I moved here. And on top of it all, the freaks up in the Nazi regime wanted (and still probably want) me dead. It's just as well we moved here. Except it's worse. After my mother was shot, I knew that now I would be much more vulnerable than I already was. Changing my name and everything wasn't gonna help." She paused and then mumbled, "Ah, crap..."

"Wait hang on, slow down. You changed your name?" There was no mistake about it. Rainer Haddock was actually under our noses this whole time! If it was a snake, it would've jumped up and bit both the Captain and I, for sure!

"Okay then, I may as well tell all. You can arrest me for all I care. I'd rather die in Africa with my family than go and die alone somewhere else."

"I promise I won't arrest you. If you could please just tell me your real name?"

"Here goes."

She sighed shakily, and I held my breath, praying that I actually was right and that she wasn't another red herring.

"I'm the girl you're looking for. _I'm_ Rainer Haddock."


	6. History

**Chapter 6**

Rainer went on and on and on about Congo, and she simply wouldn't keep calm. In fact, she was most probably on the verge of having a nervous break down. On top of it all, she probably still thought I was a soldier, this whole time. I felt terrible. I thought I could gain her trust, but after all of that, I could definitely see she was actually really scared of Europeans ever since that incident with the European farmer. So scared that she wanted to tell me everything because she was thinking that if she didn't, I would have her killed. If there was one thing I could say on the whole subject about her, I would have said she was a really good actress. That is, until now. How she kept calm like that this whole time I was here, I do not know. What I _do_ know is that she was probably wanting to die on the inside, because she was really still scared of the Captain and I. She never trusted a single European after her uncle's death. It must have been too much for her.

So what was I to do?

Trying not to panic, I led her outside for some air. And while I was there, I got her to calm down and explain from the very beginning.

"I'm your friend," I said, taking her hand. It shook violently. "I do not support European rule over colonies. Please don't be scared of me. I am on your side, I promise."

Rainer looked at me, with tears in her eyes.

"It's okay to cry."

...And she cried. Buckets and buckets. But that didn't even matter. I handed her a tissue, but she ignored it and hugged me instead.

She said between sobs, "You and your friend are the only Europeans that's been nice to me since we moved here."

I answered, "But you were there for me when I cried."

"You think so?"

I nodded. We stayed hugging. I could feel her tears running down my jacket, but I didn't care anymore. After a while, we let go and I said quietly, "So _you're_ Rainer Haddock. We've been looking for you, my friend and I. He needs to see you, Rainer. He's your father."

"But...I thought he didn't love me anymore, because I'm black."

"_Excuse moi?..._"

I don't know about you, but when the Captain had explained to me a few days ago what had happened with Rainer and her mother, I was pretty sure he really loved both of them very much, no matter what the colour of their skin was. That's why I was taken aback by this statement. I told Rainer that her father really loved her very much and that he didn't care what colour she was.

"But my mum told me-"

"I'm sorry, but what your mother told you was untrue. I'm pretty sure you're not the only Congolese person, who is scared of us. In fact, I came here to Congo a few years ago. I was only 15, and your cousin Coco was eight years old. A little boy like that, who grew up with biased opinions about white people, was still brave enough to stay awhile with me and show me around Matadi when I asked him to. Just when I thought I was interfering with the peacefulness of this beautiful village, all of you here made me feel like I was part of you."

"And you _are_ part of all of us Africans, you really are. It's just that...I was young when my mum told me this. It was just before the divorce. That made me change my mind about him completely, and besides, my father never got to say goodbye to me. That meant he also never got a chance to explain that it wasn't true."

"It's not like I got to say goodbye to you either," I muttered.

This was followed by silence. Rainer looked puzzled. "No way. Are you...you? Martin Remi?" She paused and looked up at me. "...You're Tintin the boy reporter?"

"That's me," I winked at her.

"You liar," Rainer started, tears welling up in her eyes. "Now I'm getting memories of the time when-"

"-It was your first day in class and you had to sit next to me?"

Rainer leaned forward and looked into my eyes. "So it is you, Martin Augustin Remi! I should have known! The trip to Congo, the fight against white domination, the calmness you always had..."

"Yes! Do you really believe I'm not a soldier now?"

"Of course I do, _mon ami_! Why, it's been six years!"

I felt so ridiculously happy. To this day, I'll still never ever ever ever forget that first date. Rainer and I were the closest pair of friends at Etterbeek Preparatory. We were joined at the hip. And of course it was controversial. But...to unite with her like that after such a long time felt kind of weird...and yet so...awesome. Rainer probably did not know it, but from the very day she sat next to me in class, I developed this huge crush on her. But now wasn't actually the right time to tell her I loved her.

What was important was that I had to hand her over to her father, where she would be safe forever and out of harm's way. For now, we still talked about what had happened with her mother and father. Every day I was getting closer to her, and that same aura we had in childhood was immediately restored. It felt like we were back in school again.

"It's like I was whisked away from my father, and not taken away. I immediately forgot everything about my dad...and my life back in Belgium. Brainwashed, like. My mother told me it would be safer here, more neutral. But it wasn't. Congo was worse than when my mother had left with Dad. All those biased things she told me about European people were becoming more true to us Africans everyday. I started becoming scared of even the most gentle of white people. I started acting in front of people, including myself, just to cover up my fear. It was horrible, and I didn't want to do it but I knew I had to, otherwise my freedom would be taken away from me. There are many that are scared of me, and there are many that are not."

Tears formed in her eyes again, and I comforted her.

That whole quote right there summed up the answers to just about everything I was going to ask her for the next few days. She was such a brave young woman. She was not a freedom fighter, and she may not have been invloved with politics, but Rainer was still brave. She continued:

"When we were here, I had to change my name to Raincloud Mbakadi. Coco probably told you the whole story about that already."

"Yes, yes he did. What else do you have to use to cover up your identity?"

"Nothing much. The name would just have to do for now."

Now that I had her real name and her true identity was confirmed, I could finally arrange for her to meet up with her father. This was gonna be an adventure that none of us would forget.


	7. Us

**Chapter 7**

_Wotcha. Rainer here. Tintin gave me permission to write in his book, so I'm writing in it. Nothing you can do to stop me. Heheheh. Anyways, you see...Tintin had a little run-in with a Belgian soldier not too long ago, and in the process, the soldier's gun set off by accident. The bullet hit Tintin's shoulder. He's blooming lucky he's still alive. If the bullet had hit an artery, he could have died! So his stay in Congo had to be lengthened a little bit. Don't worry, he won't die. This story is just gonna last a lot longer than planned. Oh, and the Captain still doesn't know he's my dad. (Shhh!)_  
_Keep reading._  
_Rainer_

My arm's finally good enough to write again, but it's still quite risky. Rainer may want to write in here again. Anyway, here's what happened while I was in hospital. Rainer was sworn to secrecy not to tell the Captain he was her dad, until I had actually re-united them myself. But yesterday, she almost almost _almost_ gave the game away! From the time I explained to the Captain what my plan was when she was still known as 'Cloud', what I had said aroused his suspicions profoundly. That's why he _carried_ her to the hospital, and visited her with Coco and Emeli and I.

So yesterday as the Captain was getting up to leave, Rainer was still talking and as he was walking away, she called, "Hey, Dad?" and almost ran after him to hug him.  
As soon as she took in what she said, she turned around and pretended she didn't say anything.

The Captain turned around. "Hmm? What was that?"

Rainer and I kept quiet like mice, until he left the ward.

"That was way too close," I said, trying not to laugh.

"I'm sorry. I'll be careful next time," and she laughed with me.

_The next morning, Emeli and I paid Tintin one last visit before he would be discharged (Poor thing)._  
_"_Bonjour_, ladies," was the first thing he said when he caught sight of us two._  
_"_Bonjour_," we greeted back. _  
_Emeli climbed onto his bed. "Tintin, when are you coming home?"_  
_"Tomorrow, pet," he whispered as he ruffled her hair. "Has Raincloud been looking after you nicely?"_  
_Emeli nodded. _  
_"That doesn't seem convincing," he joked as he winked in my direction. The little one laughed._

"She needs a home," I said to Rainer after the Captain fetched her from the hospital. "An orphange is a terrible place for her to go. But where _can_ she go?"

"She can come back with us, can't she?"

"I suppose she can. But we'll have to ask your father about it. Until then, we'll have to secure a temporary if not permanent home for her. How about Coco's mother?"

"That's a good idea. After all, it's only for a bit."

Discussing a new home for Emeli seemed unreal. It was strange enough that we were looking after her, but I mean...gee. I didn't want to give her away, and neither did Rainer. She was such an adorable child. But it was the only thing we could do. So it was settled. The day we would go back to Belgium, she would have a new home. It was lucky she took the news lightly. We did promise her that she would come and stay with us, as soon as Rainer was settled, herself.  
Still.  
We loved her too much to let her go, even if it was only for a few weeks. She was practically in our care after all.

Once I was discharged from hospital, I met the Admiral outside. He was the soldier whose gun accidentally went off on me. Rainer was behind me. Admiral apologised quickly but properly for the incident. Before leaving, he gave Rainer a really, really, dirty look. I could immediately tell he was one of the racists.  
Rainer bared her teeth like a wolf and growled a rather rude Kikongo sentence.

"That snake shot you on purpose, Tintin. I can feel it. I hope the Aniota gets him (A/N: See _Tintin in the Congo_)."

I sighed. Here we go again with the bias. But I knew it wasn't her fault. And there was no bias in that sentence, either. Heck. I didn't know whose side I was on anymore. What I did know was that I couldn't afford to back out of what I was doing right then.

About a week later, I asked Rainer about her job.

Her response: "I quit."

My eyes widened.

"Relax, _cherie_, it's not like I was earning any sort of real income anyway. It was mostly just tips from those perverted patrons in the corner."

I chuckled once again at her silly wittiness, soon realizing more and more that I had to tell her that I loved her. Then...this sort of feeling came over me. It made me want to actually _kiss_ her there and then, publicly. I didn't care. But then, I felt ashamed of thinking about it. To me, it's almost kind of disrespectful if you only ever want to be with a girl so you can kiss her. I mean, it's really not right, is it?

Hmph.

Didn't think so.

She looked straight into my eyes, looking a little concerned. I flushed slightly.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"No, it's just...well...um...I gotta tell you something..."

This time it was Rainer's turn to look embarrassed. Seeing her pull that face made her look almost exactly the same as she did back in Standard Four.

It made me laugh.

Rainer's eyes softened and she said, "Stop being so intense, Martin!" followed by a laugh and a playful nudge. "Now, what is it you wanna tell me, hmm?"

I stared at her in silence for a long time.

She cocked her head to the side.

"I think I hear the Captain calling," I said quickly. "But before I go, just close your eyes."

She looked at me knowingly and closed her eyes.

I slowly moved forward, put my arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. She rested her head against mine for a few minutes. But after a while, our peace was ruined by a couple of soldiers who came storming towards us.

"No interracial relationships! No Public Displays of Affection!" cried the leader of the group.

Rainer jumped behind me in fear. "Tintin, they have guns..."

"Just run," I muttered.

And she did exactly as she was told. The soldiers almost immediately put their guns down as soon as she was out of sight.

"This, young man," the leader said, writing on a yellow slip of paper and giving it to me, "Is a warning. No toying with the African girls, you hear me?" And with that, he screeched an unholy "_Heil Hitler!_" Even though the war was long over.

Then the troop calmly walked away, as if nothing happened.

"Hey," I called after them, "You do realize I don't give a stuff about your laws, right? They're completely unnecessary and stupid!"

They kept walking.

"You're all idiots to still obey Hitler!"

Still they walked.

"I bet you that you're so unmanly and lazy that you can't even bring yourself to have a better job than killing off thousands of innocent people and living a corrupt life of debt and misery! I bet you feel sick after shooting an African child!..."

A few African people gathered around me. As I followed the soldiers, they followed me and repeated everything I said in Kikongo. Soon, we all caught up to the Germans. One of them put a revolver to my forehead and whispered:

"Are you trying to start something?"

I retorted back: "I'm Martin Remi, I can start anything as long as I can help the oppressed."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rainer standing a distance apart, nodding feverishly.

"I'm only doing this for my future."

* * *

**[EDIT]: Sorry for the disgusting use of tenses and the wrong history. I was rea-a-a-ally tired when I wrote this. XD But I fixed it now. =)**


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